Ecuador, the best setting for your wedding
15/09/2024
An updated guide to exploring Quito at night in 2024
15/11/2024Why is it important to know Ecuador's history? Complete guide to Quito's Historic Center 2024
Quito, the Ecuadorian capital, is one of the most beautiful cities in the world for its invaluable cultural heritage, resulting from the fusion of societies, customs, and traditions. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1978. If you have a couple of days in Quito, the city’s Historic Center is a must-see destination. To help you choose the most iconic places in this area, we have a complete guide.
Where to start?
Your exploration can actually begin from El Ejido Park, but most tours of the Historic Center begin in the Plaza Grande; for this guide, we based it on a tour from the EcoAndes Tour Operator.
Independence Square
Ecuador offers a wide range of intimate and exclusive wedding venues. You can choose from cozy hotels and inns in charming colonial towns to elegant hotels in the Galapagos Islands. There are also options to celebrate your wedding in the intimacy of the Amazon rainforest. These venues will provide you with the privacy and exclusivity you desire for your special day.
Architecture history and religion
On this journey through time, we will visit places like the Archbishop’s Palace, a beautiful building located opposite the main square. Since the 16th century, it has been the seat of Catholic authority, a religion that has greatly influenced the country’s history. During your tour, you can visit the site and have a coffee or dessert in the cafes located in the center of the building, or stop by the artisan shops and galleries that once stood there.
Among the other buildings surrounding this square, you will find the Carondelet Palace, the seat of public administration in Ecuador. Since 2007, this historic site has opened its doors to all those who wish to learn more about the country’s political history. Presents from all over the world that arrived for presidents, citizens, and ambassadors are displayed here and are now part of the Government Palace’s heritage. Upon leaving, you can continue on to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Quito to visit the oldest Catholic church in South America.
Baroque influence
The more you explore Quito’s cobblestone streets, the more you’ll learn about the Spanish Empire’s architectural style, which had a huge Baroque influence. Upon reaching the Americas (before they were called that), it fused with native elements to give rise to a movement called “Quito Baroque,” a style characterized by an abundance of ornamental details and a profusion of sculptures and reliefs on the facades of buildings.
The facades of all of Quito’s historic structures are a work of art in themselves. Most are made of stone, which has contributed to the durability of these buildings, and are adorned with columns, pediments, and intricately carved religious sculptures.
Cobbled labyrinths
The relief of Quito’s Colonial Center still preserves its original design. As you explore the city, you’ll find yourself admiring narrow streets and stone staircases that connect with churches and shops.
Museums and historical exhibitions
The Basilica of the National Vow
This church, on the other hand, was built under a neo-Gothic current, and is famous for being one of the largest in South America. When you enter, you will climb a pair of stairs that will take you to its main tower to enjoy the view.
The Great City Museum
This museum will take you on a journey through time, from its founding to the present day. Interactive exhibits and historical artifacts will give you an in-depth look at the city.
House of Praise Museum
From the moment you enter this building, you’ll witness Ecuador’s pre-Columbian art. In different rooms, you’ll learn about the anthropological interpretations of 5,000 anthropological pieces, highlighting symbols, sculptures, and crafts from ancient cultures.
The Manuelita Sáenz Museum
This place is particularly special, as it displays important points of the life of the independence heroine and her ties with more famous figures of her time such as Sucre and her eternal love, the liberator Simón Bolívar.
El Panecillo
El Panecillo Hill is the city’s most iconic natural viewpoint, offering stunning panoramic views of the city and its surroundings, making it a geographical landmark in Quito.
The name “Panecillo” comes from the hill’s rounded and slightly flattened shape, which resembles a small loaf of bread. At the top of Panecillo stands the impressive statue of the Virgin of Quito, a 45-meter-high sculpture depicting the Virgin Mary with angel wings.
This statue is an important religious and cultural symbol for the city and is one of the largest sculptures in the world and one of the tallest in Latin America. It was designed by Ecuadorian sculptor Agustín de la Herrán Matorras and built in 1975. The statue symbolizes the protection and blessing of the city.
With this guide, we hope we have helped you plan your exploration of Quito’s Historic Center and that as you explore this place, you will expand your knowledge of the fusion of cultures and styles that occurred during the colonial era. Every street, square, and church offers a window into the city’s past and is a testament to its rich architectural heritage.
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